By Claire Smith Deck the Halls with Boughs of Holly… But not until Christmas Eve, otherwise you’ll have bad luck! Once your holly (Ilex aquifolium) and other festive evergreens are…Read More >
Public Engagement with Science
#AdventBotany 2019 Day 2: Death by chocolate
By Alastair Culham In 2014 I introduced the food of the gods, Theobroma cacao, as the source of chocolate, that staple of Christmas excess, in the 16th Advent Botany post. …Read More >
#AdventBotany 2019, Day 1: Clementine, Satsuma, Tangerine; what’s the difference?
By Alastair Culham Welcome to #AdventBotany 2019 and the start of another journey into quirky, curious, hostorical and, above all, botanical information about the plants associated with the winter season….Read More >
#AdventBotany 2018, Day 25: Naughty or Nice?
By Claire Smith Are you on Santa’s Naughty or Nice list this year? If all you’ve discovered in the toe of your stocking this morning is a lump of coal,…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2018, Day 24: The hunt for Disa x brendae
Neither my partner Ben nor I actively celebrate Christmas. We prefer to hide away from the crazy world that Christmas has become and endeavour to find ourselves as far away…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2018, Day 23: I met Tunnicliffe in a forest of Conifers
by Claire Smith As children I’m sure we’ve all sprinkled far too much glitter onto a pine cone and hung it from the Christmas tree… but have you ever wondered…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2018, Day 22: Thyme for a good stuffing
By Fi Young Sage and onion stuffing seems to be the norm for stuffing a Christmas turkey, but what about using thyme? A Google search produced 9 million results! A…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2018, Day 21: A botanical pick-me up for the bleak midwinter
By Rachel Webster With four previous years of Advent Botany I was surprised that none of us have so far covered coffee. OK, it’s not a Christmassy spice, or a…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2018, Day 20: Once upon a time: A tale of fairies from the RHS herbarium
By Yvette Harvey I am still pondering why a pagan spirit of the dead, or, more recently a demoted angel, should play such a big part in Christmas – for…Read More >
#AdventBotany 2018, Day 19: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight; a spot of medieval Advent Botany
By Alex Mills So, it’s Christmas time. You’re having a bit of food with your friends and family. Well, a lot of food. It’s Christmas, isn’t it? It’s all very…Read More >